Electronic Cigarette with Push Actuating Arrangement

ABSTRACT

An electronic cigarette includes a housing assembly, a cartridge, a control circuitry and a push actuating arrangement. The push actuating arrangement includes an atomizer movably supported in the housing assembly, a mouth piece connected to the atomizer and movably supported in the housing assembly, and an actuating member movably mounted on the housing assembly to operate between an idle position and an actuated position. In the idle position, the actuating member is moved to retain the atomizer and the mouth piece in the housing assembly. In the actuated position, the actuating member is driven to move with respect to the housing assembly so as to expose the mouth piece to an exterior of the housing assembly for user&#39;s smoking.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic cigarette, and more particularly to an electronic cigarette comprising a pushing actuating arrangement which is capable of normally retaining an atomizer and a mouthpiece within a housing assembly when the electronic cigarette is not in use, and allowing the atomizer and the mouthpiece to be exposed out of the housing assembly for use by a user.

Description of Related Arts

An electronic cigarette usually comprises a main housing, a cigarette cartridge accommodated in the main housing for storing a predetermined liquid solution, a heating element supported in the main housing for heating or vaporizing the liquid solution stored in the cartridge, and a display screen provided on the main housing for displaying the various operational parameters of the electronic cigarette.

A major disadvantage of the above-mentioned conventional electronic cigarette is that the mouthpiece is usually exposed to ambient environment so that it poses a serious hygienic problem when the electronic cigarette is used for an extended period of time. Some sorts of caps may be used to cover the mouthpiece. However, when the caps are used over an extended period of time, they also pose hygienic problem.

Another disadvantage is that when the mouthpiece and atomizer altogether may make the entire electronic cigarette inconvenient to carry. Various components of an electronic cigarette may be configured in elongated structure so that a user may need extra space in carrying it.

As a result, there is a need to develop an electronic cigarette which may improve hygienic problem of the mouthpiece and at the same time, has a more compact structure for ease of carrying.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic cigarette comprising a pushing actuating arrangement which is capable of normally retaining an atomizer and a mouthpiece within a housing assembly when the electronic cigarette is not in use, and allowing the atomizer and the mouthpiece to be exposed out of the housing assembly for use by a user.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic cigarette comprising an actuating member movably mounted on the housing assembly to operate between an idle position and an actuated position, wherein in the idle position, the actuating member is moved to retain the atomizer and the mouth piece in the housing assembly, wherein in the actuated position, the actuating member is driven to move with respect to the housing assembly so as to expose the mouth piece to an exterior of the housing assembly for user's smoking.

An objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic cigarette comprising a pushing actuating arrangement which may reduce the electronic cigarette to a relatively compact size when it is not in use.

In order to accomplish the above objective, the present invention provides an electronic cigarette, comprising:

a housing assembly;

a cartridge supported in the housing assembly for storing a predetermined amount of liquid solution;

a control circuitry comprising a main microprocessor connected to the cartridge for controlling a vaporization of the liquid solution; and

a push actuating arrangement, which comprises:

an atomizer movably supported in the housing assembly and electrically connected to the control circuitry for vaporizing the liquid solution retrieved from the cartridge;

a mouth piece connected to the atomizer and movably supported in the housing assembly; and

an actuating member movably mounted on the housing assembly to operate between an idle position and an actuated position, wherein in the idle position, the actuating member is moved to retain the atomizer and the mouth piece in the housing assembly, wherein in the actuated position, the actuating member is driven to move with respect to the housing assembly so as to expose the mouth piece to an exterior of the housing assembly for user's smoking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic cigarette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating an actuating member is in an idle position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electronic cigarette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating an actuating member is in an actuated position.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic cigarette according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is another exploded perspective view of the electronic cigarette according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the electronic cigarette according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is another schematic diagram of the electronic cigarette according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the electronic cigarette according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention will be further described in detail in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 of the drawings, an electronic cigarette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The electronic cigarette comprises a housing assembly 10, a cartridge 20, a control circuitry 30, and a push actuating arrangement 40.

The cartridge 20 is supported in the housing assembly 10 for storing a predetermined amount of liquid solution.

The control circuitry 30 comprises a main microprocessor 31 and electrically connected to the cartridge 20 for controlling a vaporization of the liquid solution.

The push actuating arrangement 40 comprises an atomizer 41, a mouth piece 42 and an actuating member 43. The atomizer 41 is movably supported in the housing assembly 10 for vaporizing the liquid solution retrieved from the cartridge 20.

The mouth piece 42 is connected to the atomizer 41 and movably supported in the housing assembly 10.

The actuating member 43 is movably mounted on the housing assembly 10 to operate between an idle position and an actuated position, wherein in the idle position, the actuating member 43 is moved to retain the atomizer 41 and the mouth piece 42 in the housing assembly 10, wherein in the actuated position, the actuating member 43 is driven to move with respect to the housing assembly 10 so as to expose at least the mouth piece 42 to an exterior of the housing assembly 10 for user's smoking.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the electronic cigarette comprises the housing assembly 10 which comprises a main housing 11 having an elongated structure to resemble an elongated structure of a cigarette. The cartridge 20 is accommodated in the main housing 11 to store a predetermined amount of liquid solution which will then be atomized to produce vapor for inhalation.

The housing assembly 10 further comprises a plurality of end covers 12 provided on a free end portion 112 of the main housing 11. The main housing 11 has a receiving cavity 111 formed therein, wherein the end covers 112 are arranged to selectively open and close the receiving cavity 111. The cartridge 20 and the control circuity 30 are normally received in the receiving cavity 111 and protected by the housing assembly 10.

The housing assembly 10 further comprises a plurality of (but at least one) resilient elements 14 for normally exerting a urging force toward the end covers 12 so as to normally retain the end covers 12 to close the receiving cavity 111. The end covers 12 may be pivotally moved to open the receiving cavity 111 for allowing the atomizer 41 and the mouth piece 42 to be exposed out of the housing assembly 10.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 of the drawings, the housing assembly 10 further comprises a retention frame 15 received in the main housing 11. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the retention frame 15 comprises a plurality of retention members 151 connected to the end covers 12 while the resilient elements 14 are connected to the retention members 151 respectively. The retention members 151 are arranged to slide with respect to the main housing 11 and normally pulled to retain the end covers 12 to close the receiving cavity 111. The resilient elements 14 are provided at a lower portion of the main housing 11 while the retention members 151 are provided between the end covers 12 and the resilient elements 14. Thus, when the resilient elements 14 exert a normal pulling force toward the retention members 151, the retention members 151 pull the end covers 12 to close the receiving cavity 111.

Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, the electronic cigarette further comprises a supporting frame 50 received in the receiving cavity 111 of the housing assembly 10, wherein at least some of the cartridge 20, the control circuitry 30 and the push actuating arrangement 40 are supported by the supporting frame 50. In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge 20 and the control circuitry 30 are also supported by the supporting frame 50 which is received in the receiving cavity 111 of the housing 10.

The push actuating arrangement 40 further comprises a plurality of sliding members 44 slidably mounted on the supporting frame 50, wherein the sliding members 44 are engaged with the actuating member 43 in such a manner that when the actuating member 43 slides with respect to the supporting frame 50, the actuating member 43 is arranged to drive the sliding members 44 to slide in the same direction with respect to the supporting frame 50.

Accordingly, the supporting frame 50 has a plurality of sliding tracks 51 arranged to slidably engage with the sliding members 44 respectively. The sliding members 44 may therefore slide along the sliding tracks 51 of the supporting frame 50 when they are driven by the actuating member 43. As show in FIG. 3 to FIG. 6 of the drawings, the sliding tracks 51 are formed along a longitudinal axis of the supporting frame 50, so that the sliding members 44 may also be driven to slide along a longitudinal axis of the supporting frame 50.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge 20 is connected to the atomizer 41 which is then connected to the mouth piece 42. When the actuating member 43 is in the idle position, they are all received in the receiving cavity 111 of the main housing 11. The sliding members 44 are connected to the atomizer 41 and arranged to actuate the operation thereof when the sliding members 44 are slid to a predetermined position along the sliding tracks 51.

As shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the supporting frame 50 may be received in the receiving cavity 111. On the other hand, the actuating member 43 is movably connected to a front side 53 of the supporting frame 50. The supporting frame 50 further has an actuating slot 54 while the actuating member 43 has a driving latch 431 arranged to engage in the actuating slot 54 in such a manner that when the actuating member 43 is driven to slide with respect to the housing assembly 10, the supporting frame 50 is also driven to slide with respect to the housing assembly 10. Note that the sidewalls of the sliding tracks 51 of the supporting frame 50 are arranged to exert biasing force against the sliding members 44 so that when the supporting frame 50 is driven to slide, the sliding members 44 are also driven to slide along the sliding tracks 51.

The main housing 11 of the housing assembly 10 further has an access slot 13 aligning with the driving latch 431 so that the driving latch 431 is arranged to engage with the actuating slot 54 of the supporting frame 50 by penetrating through the access slot 13.

Each of the sliding members 44 is elongated in shape and has a stopper 441 protruded at a mid-portion of the corresponding sliding member 44. Moreover, each of the sliding members 44 has a depressing portion 442 arranged to normally depress a switch of the atomizer 41 when the actuating member 41 is in the idle position.

The main housing 11 has a plurality of restriction grooves 55 aligned with the sliding tracks 51 respectively for restricting a further sliding movement of the sliding members 44 in the sliding tracks 51. Referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the restriction grooves 55 are formed on a front portion 112 of the main housing 11 wherein the stoppers 441 are arranged to protrude from the sliding members 44 to slidably engage with the restriction grooves 55 respectively. When the sliding members 44 slide, the stoppers 441 will also slide until the stoppers 441 hit an end of the restriction grooves 55. When the stoppers 441 reach the end of the restriction grooves 55, further sliding movement on the part of the sliding members 44 with respect to the housing assembly 10 will be restricted. However, when the sliding members 44 are stopped, the supporting frame 50 may further be slid so as to expose the atomizer 41 and the mouth piece 42 to an exterior of the housing assembly 10.

The operation of the present invention is as follows: the actuating member 43 is normally in idle position so that the sliding members 44 are arranged to depress a switch 411 of the atomizer 41. When the switch 411 is depressed, the atomizer 41 is switched off. When a user wishes to actuate the electronic cigarette of the present invention, he or she needs to manually push the actuating member 43 so as to drive the supporting frame 50 and the sliding members 44 to slide toward the end covers 12. When the stoppers 441 the ends (such as upper ends) of the restriction grooves 55, the sliding members 44 are prevented from further sliding along the sliding tracks 51. At the same time, however, the supporting frame 50 may continue to slide with respect to the housing assembly 10 and the retention frame 15 can eventually push the end covers 12 to open. The mouth piece 42 and the atomizer 41 may therefore partially expose out of the housing assembly 10. Furthermore, when the atomizer 41 is pushed to partially expose out of the housing assembly 10, the switch 411 is arranged to be released because further sliding movements of the sliding members 44 are prevented and the sliding members 44 are kept stationary in the sliding tracks 51. The depressing portions 442 of the sliding members 44 are disengaged from the atomizer 41 so as to release the switch 411. The atomizer 41 will then be switched on for atomizing the liquid in the cartridge 20.

When the user has finished using the electronic cigarette, he or she may manually slide the actuating member 43 back to the original idle position. The supporting frame 50, the atomizer 41 and the mouth piece 42 will retract back to the housing assembly 10 and the end covers 12 will close again due to the normal pulling force exerted by the resilient element 14 through the retention frame 15. Moreover, when the supporting frame 50 is slid back to the original position, the sliding members 44 will also slide along the sliding tracks 51 until the depressing portions 442 depress against the switch 411 of the atomizer 41 again. At this position, the atomizer 41 will then be switch off again. Note that the actuating member 43 and the supporting frame 50 may keep sliding with respect to the housing assembly 10 until the actuating member 43 is back to the original idle position. Further sliding movement of the sliding members 44 will also be restricted by another end (such as lower ends) of the restriction grooves 55.

With the above configurations, a user may be able to actuate a well-covered mouth piece 42 by using his single hand and whenever necessary. When the electronic cigarette is not in use, the mouth piece 42 and the atomizer 41 are protected in the housing assembly 10.

The present invention, while illustrated and described in terms of a preferred embodiment and several alternatives, is not limited to the particular description contained in this specification. Additional alternative or equivalent components could be used to practice the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic cigarette, comprising: a housing assembly; a cartridge supported in said housing assembly for storing a predetermined amount of liquid solution; a control circuitry comprising a main microprocessor connected to said cartridge for controlling a vaporization of said liquid solution; and a push actuating arrangement, which comprises: an atomizer having a switch movably supported in said housing assembly and electrically connected to said control circuitry for vaporizing said liquid solution retrieved from said cartridge; a mouth piece connected to said atomizer and movably supported in said housing assembly; and an actuating member movably mounted on said housing assembly to operate between an idle position and an actuated position, wherein in said idle position, said actuating member is moved to retain said atomizer and said mouth piece in said housing assembly, wherein in said actuated position, said actuating member is driven to move with respect to said housing assembly so as to expose said mouth piece to an exterior of said housing assembly for user's smoking.
 2. The electronic cigarette, as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing assembly comprises a main housing and at least one end cover provided on a free end portion of said main housing, said main housing having a receiving cavity, wherein said end cover is arranged to selectively open and close said receiving cavity.
 3. The electronic cigarette, as recited in claim 2, further comprising a supporting frame received in said receiving cavity of said main housing, said push actuating arrangement further comprises at least one sliding member slidably mounted on said supporting frame, wherein said sliding member is engaged with said actuating member in such a manner that when said actuating member slides with respect to said supporting frame, said actuating member is arranged to drive said sliding member to slide in said same direction with respect to said supporting frame.
 4. The electronic cigarette, as recited in claim 3, wherein said supporting frame has at least one sliding track arranged to slidably engage with said sliding member so that said sliding members is arranged to slide along said sliding track of said supporting frame when said sliding member is driven by said actuating member.
 5. The electronic cigarette, as recited in claim 4, wherein said actuating member is movably connected to said supporting frame, said supporting frame having an actuating slot while said actuating member having a driving latch arranged to engage in said actuating slot in such a manner that when said actuating member is driven to slide with respect to said housing assembly, said supporting frame is also driven to slide with respect to said supporting frame.
 6. The electronic cigarette, as recited in claim 5, wherein said sliding member is elongated in shape and has a stopper protruded from said sliding member, said sliding member further having a depressing portion arranged to normally depress said switch of said atomizer when said actuating member is in said idle position.
 7. The electronic cigarette, as recited in claim 6, wherein said main housing further has at least one restriction groove aligned with said sliding track for restricting a further sliding movement of said sliding member in said sliding track when said stopper is slid to hit an end of said restriction groove.
 8. The electronic cigarette, as recited in claim 7, wherein said housing assembly further comprises at least one resilient element arranged to normally exert an urging force toward said end cover so as to normally retain said end covers to close said receiving cavity.
 9. The electronic cigarette, as recited in claim 8, wherein said housing assembly further comprises a retention frame received in said main housing, said retention frame comprising at least one retention member connected to said end cover while said resilient element is connected to said retention member so that said retention member is arranged to slide with respect to said main housing and is normally pulled to retain said end cover to close said receiving cavity.
 10. The electronic cigarette, as recited in claim 8, wherein said main housing of said housing assembly further has an access slot align with said driving latch so that said driving latch is arranged to engage with said actuating slot of said supporting frame by penetrating through said access slot. 